Environmental Geotechnics: Learning Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Environmental Geotechnics: Learning objectives and learning outcomes

This document gives in Table 1 the learning objectives of the course and in Tables 2 – 4the learning outcomes for the three units with the theoretical foundations of the course[1]. The detailed learning outcomes in Tables 2 – 4 translate learning objective No 2 in Table 1 into detailed observable outcomes.

Table 1. Learning objectives of environmental geotechnics course.

The goal is achieved if at the end of the course the students:
(1) / can locate reliable data on the effects of contaminants on human health;
(2) / are confident in applying principles of subsurface flow, soil-contaminant interaction and contaminant transport to problems of contamination and restoration of the subsurface;
(3) / are able to address the geoenvironmental aspects of landfill and clay barrier design;
(4) / are familiar with a wide range of remediation technologies;
(5) / are able to take initiatives related to modeling, i.e. related to the formulation of a simplified problem that admits solution;
(6) / are aware of some social or public policy dimensions of the problems of subsurface contamination and restoration.

Table 2. Learning outcomes for unit: Subsurface Flow.

What can I do with what I learned?
For 1-Dproblems (or 1-Dsimplificationsof 2-D flow fields), and constant hydraulic gradient (in time):
(1) / Icancalculatehydraulichead and piezometric head;
(2) / Icanreadpotentiometricmaps (i.e. hydraulicheadmaps), i.e. I can tell the direction of groundwater flow and calculate hydraulic gradient;
(3) / I can applyDarcy’s law to calculate velocity, discharge, or hydraulic head;
(4) / Icanperformcalculations for advection-driven transport of contaminants (e.g. travel time).

Table 3. Learning outcomes for unit: Soil-Contaminant Interaction.

What can I do with what I learned?
(1) / If I want to evaluate the behavior of a contaminant in the subsurface: I can find its mass transfer characteristics (vapor pressure, Henry’s constant, solubility, soil-water partition coefficient) from reliable sources.
(2) / If Iknoworsuspectthepresenceofa NAPL contaminant: I can estimate degree of NAPL saturation and calculate total contaminant mass.
(3) / With known contaminant concentration in any of the three soil phases (air, water, solids), or in a water sample, or in a soil sample, I can calculate concentration in each of the three phases and total contaminant mass in a soil sample or in the contaminated area in the field.
(4) / WhenIamaskedtocalculatetotalmass, giveneitherNAPLsaturationorcontaminantconcentrationinoneofthethreesoilphases, Idon’tneedtoberemindedthatthecontaminantwillpartitiontoallsoilphases!

Table 4. Learning outcomes for unit: Contaminant Transport.

What can I do with what I learned?
(1) / I can estimate the relative contribution of transport phenomena for specific combinations of pollutants, soils and characteristics of the flow and transport fields.
(2) / I am familiar with literature searches for values of transport parameters.
(3) / I can back reasonable estimates for the values of the parameters involved in a problem of contaminant transport.
(4) / I am aware of a variety of analytical solutions of the contaminant transport equation and I understand the limitations of each one.
(5) / I can select from a variety of analytical solutions of the transport equation the one that fits better the geometry of a contaminant release and the expected contribution of the transport phenomena.

[1]Definitions of terms used:

Learning objective: what is to be achieved through teaching

NOTE Typically, the learning objectives of a course/program are fewer and broader compared to learning outcomes.

Learning outcome: what can be measured/observed through assessment

NOTE Often, learning outcomes result from translating learning objectives to detailed observable outcomes.